The ETH Board is responsible for the strategic management of the ETH Domain in compliance with the Federal Council’s strategic objectives (formerly: “performance mandate“). On this basis, and in dialogue with the institutions of the ETH Domain, the ETH Board prepares the strategic planning and supervises its implementation.

ERI Dispatch and strategic objectives for the ETH Domain

The Federal Council’s dispatch on the promotion of education, research and innovation (ERI Dispatch) is the Confederation’s key planning tool in the field of education. The ERI Dispatch comprises all national measures regarding vocational education and training, the ETH Domain, cantonal universities, universities of applied sciences, the promotion of research and innovation, and international cooperation.

The Federal Council’s strategic objectives for the ETH Domain (“performance mandate“ until 2016) also form part of the ERI Dispatch.

Strategic planning for the ETH Domain

In the ETH Board’s strategic planning for the ETH Domain, the ETH Board formulates the ETH Domain’s strategy for a performance period. Thus, the strategic planning is the central tool for defining the key areas in teaching, research and knowledge transfer, as well as science policy objectives and prioritised large-scale projects for the whole ETH Domain. The document also provides information about the necessary resources and serves the ETH Domain’s institutions as a guideline for their activities and development plans.

Development plans and target agreements

In keeping with their autonomous status, the ETH Domain’s institutions compile development plans, which are subject to the approval of the ETH Board. The latter ensures that these plans are in line with the Federal Council’s strategic objectives and the ETH Board’s strategic plan for the ETH Domain.

Based on the approval of development plans, the ETH Board enters into target agreements with the institutions. In these agreements, the requirements of the Federal Council’s strategic objectives and of the ETH Board’s strategic plan are broken down into objectives for the individual institutions. Alongside the basic mandate, the target agreements define the objectives and requirements for fulfilment of the strategic objectives.